Creed Weathered Interview

Sonymusic.com 2001

HOW WAS CREED FORMED?

MARK TREMONTI:
Me and Scott went to high school together in Orlando, Florida. So, when we were both in Florida State for college, we ran into each other. And we were both looking to get into a band. And I had been around the open-mic night circuit, and Scott, you know, came in, I think just a couple months after I had started meeting some people.

SCOTT STAPP:
As Mark said before, we were-- went to high school together, but we weren't really-- like buds, we didn't like hang out. He ran in different circles, I was in a different circle. I hang out-- I hung out with all the cool people and-- (LAUGHTER) No, actually it was vice versa.

But, about-- I think I was about 19 or 20, I started dating this hippie chick, who like started taking me to like rock shows and just doing all this stuff that I had never done before.

You know, I was raised in a real different kind of environment, and-- and different kind of life. And-- and she introduced me to like this whole different side of the world that I didn't know about. And, as I-- you know, I-- she helped me kind of figure out myself. And-- who the real me was, and not who my parents wanted me to be. I had always sang since I was a little kid, and just realized that that's something I wanted to do, I wanted to get in a band.

So, Mark was at Clemson and just so happened-- around the same time, I was making a decision to move to Tallahassee. He was making a decision to move to Tallahassee from Clemson, South Carolina. And he moved there, got there a couple months before me. I moved there. And immediately put the word out-- you know-- in the music scene that I was looking for a band. Looking for guys to jam with. And-- a friend of mine mentioned that Mark from high school and-- I was like, "Yeah, I'll hook up with him."

The first time we got together we jammed and-- I didn't know anything about talent, music, who was good, who wasn't, I just wanted to sing. And if there was someone who was-- could play guitar and-- and I liked the way they sounded, which I loved the way Mark sounded, I wanted to jam with 'em.

And I think he was at that point in his life with all the bands he had been through, that if he could just find somebody who could sing, you know, and that didn't get on his nerves too bad, that, you know, he was ready to-- to go with it. And so we had both kind of-- met at the perfect time, at a crossroads, where it was time to get serious. Don't you think?

MARK TREMONTI:
Yes.

SCOTT STAPP:
You know, and I think, that's why it happened. Because you know, we were like, this is it. We're either going to be cooks for the rest of our life, or-- or-- or we're going to pursue a dream that we've had for a while and-- and so, we got serious and started a band.

MARK TREMONTI:
We met Scott at a party where he was actually-- :

SCOTT STAPP:
--it wasn't a party, it was an audition--

MARK TREMONTI:
--yeah, it was an audition where a bunch of musicians were there-- (OVERTALK)

SCOTT STAPP:
--one other guy? (LAUGHS)

MARK TREMONTI:
Well, he had worked with a guy who was a drummer-- (OVERTALK)

MARK TREMONTI:
--out in-- and he's-- you know, he said he-- you know, he looked like he was a great musician because he had the long hair and he-- you know, he said he played the drums--

SCOTT STAPP:
--that was my knowledge of a musician-- he looked like a rocker--

MARK TREMONTI:
--great-- I remember walking out to Scott and saying, "You know, this kid who was in here playing drums with me, this is the one, man."

SCOTT STAPP:
We used to go to parties like-- in college and we'd literally write songs in front of people. We would play and just-- we'd play like the tunes that we'd know and they'd want more.

MARK TREMONTI:
We used to do that in our live shows-- in college--

SCOTT STAPP:
--yeah, we actually did that in our live shows too--

MARK TREMONTI:
--we'd tell the crowd we're writing a song and we'd write a-- you know, somebody would start. We'd pick, you know, a different person--

SCOTT STAPP:
--yeah--

MARK TREMONTI:
--to start the song and we'd end up finishing and everybody was "You guys are lying, you didn't write that song-- "

SCOTT STAPP:
--it's just the whole creative--

MARK TREMONTI:
--I think Higher (PH)-- "Higher"-- (OVERTALK)

SCOTT STAPP:
--for me-- was-- was written-- the chorus for "Higher" was written on a spontaneous, let's write a song live on stage. The chorus was--

MARK TREMONTI:
--yeah--

SCOTT STAPP:
--not the verses.

MARK TREMONTI:
Yeah.

WHAT IS THE BAND'S SHARED VISION?

MARK TREMONTI:
To be as big as we could-- get out to as many people as we could with our music and enjoy what we're doing and just, you know, turn school and cooking in the kitchen into a touring rock band, you know--

SCOTT STAPP:
--yeah--

MARK TREMONTI:
--you never know, you'd be naive to think that that would happen. But we thought if our songs got on the radio, that people would enjoy it and we'd sell records, get a record deal, but--

SCOTT STAPP:
--we were very, very naive.

MARK TREMONTI:
Yeah, in hindsight you realize how hard it is.

SCOTT STAPP:
Very naive. About our vision. We thought every band on the radio was successful. We felt like if-- hey, if our music gets on the radio, then we're going to sell millions of records and be playing stadiums and selling out arenas. You know, we'd-- we just thought that's what happened to bands that got on the radio.

HOW HAVE YOU CHANGED SINCE CREED BEGAN?

MARK TREMONTI:
Now, we're seasoned, you know, now we know--

SCOTT STAPP:
We're more mature.

MARK TREMONTI:
(LAUGHTER) Sure.

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
Yeah-- I'd say-- we-- I think we're definitely not as naive now-- (OVERTALK) --as we were then. Once you get in this business, you get hit with a lot of stuff. And you either have to pick up on it really quick and learn for yourself, or you got to trust somebody. And-- I think we've had a-- a healthy balance of both of-- of those aspects.

SCOTT STAPP:
Yeah, we-- we definitely had to realize that all our visions of-- what-- rock-n-roll would be and what our career would be, you know, like playing with bands and then after the show hanging out with all the musicians, and writing songs, playing the acoustic guitar, we realized that was all bullshit. And-- that-- no one really wanted to do that. It was a big competition.

And we hated that. We were like, dude, we just want to make music. And you guys are artists, let's share-- share ideas. And fortunately, we met some bands along the way which are diamonds in the rough nowadays, that-- that liked to do that-- (OVERTALK) --you know. And then we realized there was-- we had to be business men. And-- that wasn't why we-- wanted to be in a rock band was to be a businessman, but if you don't-- if you don't accept that role and acknowledge that role and be responsible with that role, your career will pass you by and you'll be broke.

So it's just-- it's just-- a necessary evil you have to deal with. And that was another thing we learned. And, like I said earlier, you know, just realizing that not every band that gets on the radio is a success.

WHY DID YOU STOP WRITING DURING THE HUMAN CLAY TOUR?

SCOTT STAPP:
I didn't want to write during the "Human Clay" album because I needed to live. I needed to experience things. I needed to get out of the creative hole focusing on putting words to paper and-- and expressing my thoughts. I needed to break from it.

Somewhere in the "Human Clay" tour, somewhere, you know, after "Human Clay" was written, whenever I would go to express myself, I-- I started getting thoughts in my head of, "Is this going to be a song or is this just something that I'm writing for myself?"

And as soon as I realized that, I said, "I don't want to write anymore." Because I don't ever want that to be something that I do or think about, because that's how I make a living. And, so I put it down. And it wasn't a decision that-- Mark made or Scott made. I made it for me and I had to keep my self away from these guys on-- on-- during sound checks, so I wouldn't write. You know, that-- Mark went on. Mark kept coming up with riffs. And-- and kept, you know, doing his thing.

And-- but I had to walk away, because I wanted it to be real. I-- I never wanted to lose the innocence of what that was, and that was-- I never wanted to lose that and I felt like-- the innocence was going away. And if I ever feel that way again, I'll do the same thing again, I'll walk away. I won't write for two years.

I won't do anything, you know, because that to me has to be pure and it has to be with no motivations and no agendas, and it has to come from my heart, and it has to be-- an escape for me. Something that I can go to for refuge.

And you know, that's why I made the decision to do that. Because there was a little-- little voice coming in, little-- little thing in the back of my head, kind of questioning my motives.

WHY IS THE ALBUM TITLED WEATHERED?

SCOTT STAPP:
I think, you know, I can segue that into "Weathered." You know, and why this album came out the way it is, and why it's titled the way that it is. Because this album is-- is just-- everything musically and-- you know, with an expression of-- of music and the lyrics that we've had to deal with since it all began.

And how we felt when we finally got a chance to stop, when the roller coaster finally ended for three or four months and we got to go home and reflect on the last five years that passed us by. And we kind of got home and realized that we were weathered, you know.

We were a little bit calloused. And-- but we weathered the storm, as Scott would say. And that's why there was a-- a new album out. But-- that's-- that's kind of where we are.

DO PREVIOUS SUCCESSES HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON YOUR WRITING NOW?

MARK TREMONTI:
We always say we write songs for ourselves. And-- if we're happy with these songs, then we've accomplished our goals. Our favorite songs usually are our fans favorite songs. As long as we're not thinking this would be-- this would be a big hit, you know, just say this would be a great song for me to listen to when the CD's done, this-- it'll be a successful record.

SCOTT STAPP:
That's the way it's always been with us, it's just-- I think we don't grasp-- none of this is real, you know. Selling 20 million records worldwide isn't real, even though it is my reality, I can't digest it. And because I can't digest it in my mind, fortunately, those thoughts never come into our head. When we write a song together, we're like, "Hey, that kicks ass! Let's make-- put it on a record." That's how it happens.

THERE IS A DYNAMIC MUSICAL RANGE ON WEATHERED. WAS IT INTENTIONAL?

SCOTT STAPP:
The dynamic of this record, even before you listen to it, I mean, you can see it, just in the track listing, you know. If-- if you think about it. I remember one being "Bullets" and-- and number eleven being "Lullaby." I mean, those are-- just about the opposite ends of the spectrum. And that's what we did with this record. You know, we-- went from one extreme for us-- to a complete different extreme. And it just shows the diversity of the band.

MARK TREMONTI:
Best thing any band can do is take their sound and push the envelope in all directions--

SCOTT STAPP:
--too much--

MARK TREMONTI:
--see how far they could go--

SCOTT STAPP:
--you got to-- you got to--

MARK TREMONTI:
--in this direction and this direction and try and encompass all the things that you can and just to really see what your band can do. You know, if-- if you can do all that stuff, you know, that's the best challenge in the world.

SCOTT STAPP:
And-- and this record, I-- you know, it's-- it's heaviest stuff we've ever done, as well as the softest stuff we've ever done. It's just a gift from God, you know. It's just-- everybody has a special talent, whether they know it or not, you know, and-- you know, my talent is to sing and write and Mark's is to play guitar and Scott-- Scott's is to play drums.

And everyone has a different talent, you just have to recognize it. And that's why we don't put any thought to it, it's all natural, it just happens. You know, probably our personal lives did have a lot to do with why they're so dynamic, you know. I went from one end of the spectrum to the other, and he went from one end of the spectrum to the other. And so, being co-writers, we both brought something from different directions.

DISCUSSION OF 'MY SACRIFICE'

SCOTT STAPP:
When it comes to writing music, we always will find that balance in between. And that's kind of like what my sacrifice symbolizes on this record. That's-- that's one of those songs that's mine and Mark's balance. In between the extremes that we'll go to in other areas. That's-- that's our balance.

DISCUSSION OF 'DON'T STOP DANCING'

SCOTT STAPP:
From the softer side, I think we've really pushed the envelope for what this band can do. On-- on the more ballad-y type stuff, like with "Don't Stop Dancing." I don't think we can push it anymore there. I'm not saying, we won't. But for us being a-- a rock band, a hard rock band that really likes to-- to go off-- you know, that's pushing it for us, a little bit.

But, it came from the heart. And we liked it, so it was like-- who cares? Nothing's ever eliminated because we feel like we're pigeon-holed into a certain style or-- or anything, but, you know, the record was a direct reflection of our personalities.

DISCUSSION OF THE SONG 'LULLABY'

SCOTT STAPP:
I think these two, whether they like "Lullaby" or not, you know, they'd never tell me, "No, we don't want that on the record," because they'd feel like jerks, because they know it's about my son.

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
I think it's awesome, (LAUGHTER) actually.

SCOTT STAPP:
And then, you know, Mark, the beautiful guitar stuff he did with that, was-- was wonderful.

MARK TREMONTI:
I liked the thought process behind it, the thought process was-- you know, who-- who writes Christmas carols and who writes lullabies, and who writes these timeless songs that--

SCOTT STAPP:
--yeah, we talked about that--

MARK TREMONTI:
--nobody knows who wrote these songs, but why can't somebody now--

SCOTT STAPP:
--we talked about that--

MARK TREMONTI:
--write something that could be your common lullaby or your common Christmas carol or your common, you know--

SCOTT STAPP:
--yeah, that's what I said-- (OVERTALK) --that's pretty much what it is. That's what I said to 'em, I said pretty much those exact words, I was like, "Dude, who writes that?" What-- who wrote "Rockabye Baby?" I don't know. But, I sang it to my child when he would cry at, you know, three o'clock in the morning, when he was two months old. That was kind of the concept behind "Lullaby."

DO YOU CONSIDER WEATHERED YOUR BEST ALBUM SO FAR?

MARK TREMONTI:
You-- not-- not to be cliche, but I think we all believe this is our best record.

SCOTT STAPP:
Yeah, by far.

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
I think, I mean, as young as we are, hopefully as young as we are in our careers, that, you know, we're definitely looking to have some longevity so-- (OVERTALK) --if we're on our third album and we don't think it's-- you know, better than the other two, then we need to go back in the studio and re-do it until it is.

SCOTT STAPP:
And the next record and the next record.

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
Yeah--

SCOTT STAPP:
--and the next record. The day we quit growing and the day that I personally for me, think that this band cannot get any better is when I'm going to walk away. And-- I think-- if we all sat around and thought about it, we'd all do the same thing. The day we can't get any better and can't develop what we do better, it's over.

YOU HAVE USED THE SAME PRODUCER FOR 3 ALBUMS. HOW DID YOU CHOOSE HIM?

MARK TREMONTI:
John Kerzweg produced our first record and he was the local hotshot in Tallahassee, Florida, where we went to college. So, you know, we thought we'd bring John back on the second record, and it worked out, you know, great. And we kept it in the family and it just-- it was always comfortable with us.

And on the third record, with-- touring for so long, with Kirk Kelsey (PH) our sound engineer, we decided to bring him in to co-produce with-- with us and John Kerzweg. And-- you know, it was just-- it was a team of-- of a lot of talented people where you know, you had the checks and balances in-- in all the departments and it was-- you know, I think it turned out the best yet.

DISCUSSION OF THE 'MY SACRIFICE' VIDEO

SCOTT STAPP:
With the video, we went through, we got together with Dave Meyers, I told him exactly what I was thinking in my head. Exactly what the song meant to me. There's a lot of surrealism in that video and a lot of-- symbolism in that video. But, he-- he's awesome. He's a great director.

It's the first video that we've ever done that we had complete control over. You know, we're proud of it. Dave Meyers, you know, with the water and-- and the different visual imageries, really, really put through the message, of-- you know, what our phone conversation was.

And-- you know, you can't take yourself too seriously and this is entertainment and it's fun and-- and we're not serious all the time. We're actually like-- pretty stupid all the time. So it's-- you know-- there's a lot of deep symbolism in it, but also a lot of just fun stuff that I guess is kind of funny for us, because we know behind the scenes stuff, but-- eventually we'll let the fans know.

WHY DO YOU CHOOSE NOT TO DISCUSS THE MEANINGS OF YOUR SONGS?

SCOTT STAPP:
For a Creed fan, they obviously bought the record and liked the song for a specific reason. Whether that be Mark's guitar riffs or Scott's drums or the groove of the music, the vibe, or the lyrics. Somewhere in there, they like-- they like the song. By giving away the meaning of the song or-- or any-- too much information about it, yeah-- I can change that person's interpretation of the song, if it's because they liked it for the lyrics.

Because if someone wants to think in their mind that that song is about this, because it made 'em feel this way, then I don't want to ruin that for them, because that's what has made the song personal in their lives. Just take it for what it's worth and-- and make it your own. And that's what we want our music to be. We want it to be personal to everyone who has it.

WHAT SETS CREED APART FROM OTHER BANDS?

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
Personally, I think that the lyrical content has an awful lot to do with the amount of success that we've had, and identifying with the bands. I think in conjunction with-- with great music--

SCOTT STAPP:
--we had a vision in the beginning that we hated what was on radio because we thought it had no substance. And it was just a bunch of people having a pity party. We felt like we were just as good musicians, but we had something better to say. And-- I feel like now the industry is starting to look for other bands out there that are like, you know, like that, that do have something to say. And-- that do-- do offer something to people.

You know, it doesn't have to be hope, it doesn't have to be positive, but at least they're offering something, at least there's some kind of substance in there, we're glad that us and a couple of other bands were the bands that kind of re-ushered that back in-- into rock-n-roll. I mean, our generation needs a voice.

That's why I think they're speaking out. And they're speaking out by buying records. And-- voting on award shows and fan polls. And-- you know, and it's happening with all these other new influxes of bands. And that's why they're doing so well.

IS CREED'S MESSAGE A SPIRITUAL ONE?

SCOTT STAPP:
I think with our band, it's not-- we've been mis-characterized a lot with our message strictly being about God, which-- which-- encompasses about 30 percent of what we do, because it probably encompasses about 30 percent of-- my personality. You know, I'm a spiritual person. But what about the other 70 percent? And that's what makes great records.

And-- you know, it's just a common message and-- and-- I just-- I talk about being a human being and what-- and my feelings about being human and Mark does well in things that he does. And-- and we just write about-- things that everybody feel and that everybody thinks about, I think. And I think that's why people have gravitated to it, because they can identify with it as well as take something away from it.

WHY DO YOU THINK YOUR MUSIC HAS SUCH A WORLDWIDE APPEAL?

SCOTT STAPP:
Mark's music is my voice for people who can't read, for people who don't understand the words, for people who don't know what I'm saying. That's how they understand, because there's so much power and emotion. And energy and--

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
I think even if they can't understand the words, they can hear the--

SCOTT STAPP:
--they can feel--

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
--the passion--

SCOTT STAPP:
--they can feel it through the music.

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
Yeah.

SCOTT STAPP:
You know, and that's what-- that's what makes us-- that's-- I think that's what's so special about me-- Mark and I's relationship is his guitar and his-- the way he plays and-- and his sound and the passion he has behind-- behind his notes and the way he puts him together is the same passion that I have in the way I sing and the way I write.

And so, irregardless of how people hear it, or feel it, whether it's the music, whether it's the words, the same emotion and feeling is getting across. And--

MARK TREMONTI:
--where's your quote, man? (OVERTALK) Your quote? Passion--

SCOTT STAPP:
Passion breeds followers. I had to sell these guys on that, in 1994, through "Blind Ambition." Trying to convince them that we're going to be rock stars one day. And-- my whole thing was, "Hey, man, passion breeds followers."

And-- and as long as we're passionate about what we're doing, people are going to listen. And we're not going to be background music, we're going to be heard. And-- you know-- call it luck, call it a lot of hard work, call it what you want, but it came true.

ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO TOURING AGAIN?

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
We've got a full album worth of material, a new album to, you know, to go along with the first two. We're definitely looking forward to performing it--

SCOTT STAPP:
--yeah--

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
--touring is--

SCOTT STAPP:
--yeah, get in shape--

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
--it's a-- it's-- it can be a grueling thing. And we're looking at this one probably going on for almost a couple years. But--

SCOTT STAPP:
--especially if we're going to go, you know, do the world--

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
--yeah--

SCOTT STAPP:
--it takes a lot longer than three months to tour the world. You know, unless-- you want to play two shows a day, seven days a week and jet set every single night. And we-- physically, humanly can't do that. My-- my voice can't handle it. You know, I have to take a break every two days because of how hard I go-- when I sing.

I can only do a couple shows in a row and then I've got to give my throat a day off-- to kind of heal itself so I can do two more. And with having that schedule, you know, we're going to tour for a couple years. So, we're going to go wherever people want to see Creed.

WHAT MESSAGE DOES THIS AMERICAN ROCK BAND WANT TO GIVE TO THE WORLD?

SCOTT STAPP:
As an American rock band--

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
I would think-- (OVERTALK)

SCOTT STAPP:
--message, what are we going to give to the world? Strength. Perseverance--

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
--yeah--

SCOTT STAPP:
--life goes on. If we can tour the world and give 'em entertainment, which is what we are, this is entertainment. But it has a responsibility and it's also got a message and-- and-- take from it what you will, but there's definitely a message of unity, let's come together as-- not the United States, but as the world.

And let's-- let's come together, let's enjoy each other, let's enjoy the experience, let's have a good time, and let's be strong, and let's persevere. And-- you know, that has to be the message.

SCOTT PHILLIPS:
I-- I totally agree. And that's something, I mean, you know, in watching these guys write from the beginning, there was always positivity. No matter how dark the message seemed in the song, the end result was a positive outlook. And that's something that we have a band-- we as a band have offered since the beginning.

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